When asked whether the season-opening grand prix will take place as scheduled in Bahrain, Ecclestone said the decision lies with Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who owns the F1 contract and is deputy supreme commander of the armed forces.

Eldest son of the current embattled king, Prince Salman is heir apparent in the Kingdom. He’s got a US degree in political science and a masters from Cambridge in history and philosophy. Presumably then he can meditate on the historic nature of unrest in Bahrain, and be philosophical about the upcoming and seemingly inevitable political changes…